さて昨日のブログで少年時代の「雪埋め」あそびで転がされた瞬間の写真を掲載してしまったワケですが、アップの時間は午前５時半ころ。
　で、その頃は雪はチョロチョロ降り始めた程度で、軽い感じで雪かきを始めておりました。しかし様子を見ているとどうも、降り止む気配がなくてどんどん激しくなってきて降り続く。一応１回目として、わが家の周囲と前面道路の通行確保、そして会社が借り上げている駐車場の近隣２箇所、延べ100坪ほどを利用可能なように除雪作業して、様子を見ようとしていました。激しい降雪が止む気配なく降り続く。・・・
　降り始めが朝６時頃だったので、公共の除雪体制はまったく「スキを付かれた」ようで、わが家前の中学校通学路には全然除雪が来ない。やはり除雪の体制は対応させるのに一定の準備時間が掛かるので、間に合わなかった。また契約している民間駐車場も午前８時には利用者が駐車し始めるので、その事前に除雪する決まりになっていて、そちらも体制がまったく間に合わず、終日機械除雪が入らないことになってしまった。
　どうもきのうの降雪は時間的に最悪のタイミングで大雪が降ってしまったようです。
　やむなく人力のみで、その後も本格的除雪を合計３回行っておりました。さすがに参った・・・。
　上の「歩数計」はわたしの昨日の歩数ですが、大雪対応の雪かきオンリーだったもの。通常散歩はしていない。それなのに8,690歩を計測しています。これはほぼ雪かき作業だけの「歩数」に相当。以前にも書きましたが、雪かき労務のエネルギー消費は散歩歩行に対して2〜2.5倍程度。実際の雪かきでは堆雪させる「雪山」に運んで排雪するので感覚的には「３倍程度」の疲労感なのですが、そうするときのうの運動量は歩数換算で17,000〜26,000歩程度。
　運動疲労に加えて、腰や背筋・上腕などの筋肉痛などもジワジワ感じられてくる。まぁ日頃10,000歩程度の散歩運動しているので、そこまでの筋肉痛はありませんが、やはり疲労感はハンパない。
　やはり個人的な感想としては、きのうの「雪埋め」写真が災いしてしまったのかと（泣）・・・。なにか運命の機微に触れてしまった感が強烈。深く反省しております。

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English version⬇

【Sapporo’s Heavy Snowfall: 43cm… Exhausted After Shoveling Three Times a Day…】
Public snow removal was caught off guard and failed to function. Citizens were forced to shovel snow alone, isolated and without support. This labor equates to 17,000 to 26,000 steps…

　Well, yesterday’s blog featured a photo of the moment I was rolled down a snow-covered hill during childhood “snow burial” play. I posted it around 5:30 AM.
　At that time, the snow had just started falling lightly, so I began shoveling with a casual attitude. However, watching the situation, it didn’t seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. Instead, it kept getting heavier and heavier, continuing to fall. As a first round, I cleared the area around my house, the front road to ensure passage, and two nearby spots in the parking lot leased by my company, totaling about 100 tsubo (approx. 330 sq m), to make them usable. I planned to monitor the situation. The heavy snowfall showed no sign of stopping and continued relentlessly. …
Since the snow started around 6 AM, the public snow removal system seemed completely caught off guard. The middle school route in front of my house hadn’t been cleared at all. The snow removal system clearly requires a certain amount of preparation time to respond, and they simply couldn’t keep up. Additionally, the private parking lot we contract requires snow removal before 8 AM when users start parking. Their system also completely failed to keep up, meaning no mechanical snowplows came all day.
It seems yesterday’s heavy snowfall hit at the worst possible time.
We had no choice but to do it all by hand, performing full-scale snow removal a total of three times afterward. Honestly, I was beat…
　The “pedometer” above shows my steps yesterday, but these were solely from snow shoveling to handle the heavy snow. I didn’t take my usual walk. Even so, it recorded 8,690 steps. This is almost entirely “steps” from snow shoveling work. As I’ve written before, the energy expenditure of snow shoveling labor is about 2 to 2.5 times that of walking during a stroll. In actual snow shoveling, you carry the snow to a “snow pile” to clear it away, so it feels like about “three times” the fatigue. When doing that, the exercise volume translates to about 17,000 to 26,000 steps.
On top of the exercise fatigue, muscle soreness in my lower back, back muscles, upper arms, etc., is slowly creeping in. Well, since I usually walk about 10,000 steps daily, the muscle soreness isn’t that bad, but the overall fatigue is absolutely brutal.
Personally, I can’t help but wonder if yesterday’s “snow burial” photo was the culprit (sob)… I have this intense feeling I somehow touched some subtle thread of fate. I deeply regret it.

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha
Available on Amazon.　

Posted on 1月 9th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　本日は連載テーマ「四百年間のいのちの履歴書」シリーズ、ひと休み。
　こういう歴史ネタでは大量の資料チェックが膨らんでくるので、縁辺的なデータの領域が広大で、１人の認識能力では、やや拡大しすぎでアタマのなかの整理整頓が一定時間で必要なんだと思います。
　なんですが、やはり生きているウチにこういう精神作業へ没入する時間は持ちたかった。ビジネスの第１線から少し離れて、内面的な深掘り系の領域。そういう時間を持てることに深いよろこびはある。でも過労は避けたい。
　写真はわが家周辺の発寒川河畔の様子であります。
　昨日はかなり冷え込んでいて、けっこうな「結氷」が見られています。本日早朝では気温はマイナス12度まで下がってきています。きょうは日中はプラス気温になって、やや暖かくなるようですが、この時期札幌は一進一退を繰り返しながら、徐々に「真冬」に突入して行くことになる。大雪なども、襲ってくる可能性が高まってきます。
　そうなると「雪かき」での運動量は通常の散歩の３倍程度とのこと。
　その雪かきの量がどれくらいになるか、カラダで感じる「冬のきびしさ」具合。住環境自体は、性能向上の結果、北海道人はそれほど「寒冷」を意識しなくなってきているかも知れませんから、雪かきの方がきびしさを実感させられる行為であるかも知れませんね。
　ということで、鬼がそれほど来ていないウチに、楽しい冬の散歩であります。最近はついに「スパイク靴」一択で、完全防備体制での散歩。ドカ雪は別にすれば、通常の氷結ツルツル道路も、積雪道路もまったく平気。
　そしてカラダは全身をダウンジャケット体制で防衛するので、顔をマスクで覆ってしまえば、戦国時代の鎧兜の武者姿並みの寒さ・ツルツルからの完全防備で出掛けております。
　子ども時代のような「寒さ」意識は北海道ではかなり消失してきているかも知れませんね。
　さて、本日も早朝の寒気の中、元気を盛り立てて行きたいと思います。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
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English version⬇

【Healthy Walking: Diligently Exceeding 10,000 Steps Over the New Year Holidays】
High insulation and airtightness have nearly eliminated the harsh northern winter indoors, and with down jackets fully equipped, mobility has also evolved. The lack of exercise factor is also resolved. …

　Today marks a break in our serialized theme, “A 400-Year Life Resume” series.
With historical topics like this, the volume of material to review swells, and the periphery of relevant data becomes vast. For a single person’s cognitive capacity, it feels a bit too expansive, requiring regular mental tidying up.
　Still, I truly wanted to carve out time to immerse myself in this kind of mental work while I’m alive. Stepping back a bit from the front lines of business to delve into deeper, more introspective territory. There’s profound joy in having that kind of time. But I want to avoid overworking myself.
The photo shows the banks of the Hassamu River near my home.
Yesterday was quite cold, and you can see significant ice formation. This morning, the temperature dropped to minus 12 degrees Celsius. While it’s supposed to warm up slightly above freezing during the day, Sapporo at this time of year moves forward and backward, gradually plunging into the depths of winter. The likelihood of heavy snowfall also increases significantly.
When that happens, the physical exertion of shoveling snow is said to be about three times that of a regular walk.
The sheer volume of snow to be shoveled is a physical reminder of winter’s harshness. While improved housing performance might mean Hokkaido residents are less conscious of the “biting cold” itself, shoveling snow might be the activity that truly makes you feel its severity.
So, while the real cold hasn’t fully arrived yet, it’s a pleasant winter walk. Lately, I’ve finally settled on “spiked boots” as my sole choice, walking in full protective gear. Barring heavy snowfalls, I’m completely fine on both normally icy, slippery roads and snow-covered roads.
　And since my body is defended by a full-body down jacket system, covering my face with a mask means I head out with complete protection against the cold and slipperiness, comparable to a warrior in full armor and helmet from the Warring States period.
The childhood awareness of “cold” might be fading quite a bit in Hokkaido.
Well then, today too, I’ll try to boost my energy in the early morning chill.

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 1月 7th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　ドラえもん的なタイムマシン家系探訪、時代は1603年から1650年、さらに1600年代後期へとさかのぼってくる。今（2026年）から423年の過ぎ去りし過去。
　1603年に芸州（広島）浅野藩が関ヶ原合戦後の恩賞で紀州から移封した当時、ときを同じくしてわたしの家系は芸州「入野」地域に入植している。家系の当時の苗字は「原氏」。家系伝承を伝える書物では「紀州で仕官」していたが「故有りて」土地に根ざす土豪層の立場でこの地に入植と。
　そこからすぐに入野村の庄屋を務めている。武家として仕官の立場からすぐに入植地で庄屋になる流れは、その入植自体が地域権力機構との強い紐帯・連携を想起させる。そこから３代の代替わりを経て「九世の祖」である先祖は、周辺地域の庄屋層を連合的に束ね統括する「所務役」という芸州藩地方支配機構の重要な役割を担うようになっている。苗字帯刀を許される特権層。
　管理する領地の当時の総石高は9,615石。１万石で「大名」となる社会でこの規模の地域支配役。武家支配社会で経済・農業生産を管理遂行する役とは、心臓部的な社会的役務だろう。
　そしてこの「管理地」のなかに現在の竹原市（当時は吉名村・木谷村）の塩浜・塩田が含まれていた。
　この塩浜では兵庫県の赤穂藩が取り入れて最新技術であった「入浜式塩田」が1650年に導入されたことが歴史的に明らかになった。そこから交易港・尾道で商家「竹原屋」が成立し、竹原の塩は一種ブランド化されていった。信州では北前交易で塩が到着すると「竹原が来た」と喜んだ伝承が伝えられている。
　・・・なにやら、先日まで深掘りしていた「松永の塩」との連想が強く働いてくる。
　松永では地域権力・福山藩が塩田テクノラート（本庄重正）をスカウトして開発したが、故あってわたしの家系はそこで「塩浜づくり」していた伝承記録。松永では先行の成功例としてこの竹原の塩田経営が手本とされ、家系はその経済文化を背に負って松永・今津に移動してきた蓋然性は非常に高い。
　上の地図は現代のものだが江戸期のルートに沿っている。入植した入野から竹原までは17km。そこから松永の塩田を見晴らして家系の痕跡が色濃い「今津宿」まで約40km。
　距離的にも経済活動情報の伝達範囲として非常に妥当性が高い。
　1600年代初期から、その後の家系の事跡・証拠がたくさん残る1730年ころまでの「ミッシングリンク」が非常に整合的に見えてきた。さらに深掘りしていきたい。

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English version⬇

【Development of Takahara Salt Fields: Administrative Land Managed by “Tokumiyaku” Officials After 1603 Settlement】
The lineage’s footprints remain unbroken until the early Edo period. Economic structures linking Takahara to Matsunaga and further to Onomichi through salt fields. Visualizing the missing link. …

　A Doraemon-esque time machine journey through my family lineage, tracing back to the era spanning 1603 to 1650, and further into the late 1600s. A past now 423 years removed from the present (2026).
　In 1603, when the Asano clan of Geishu (Hiroshima) was transferred from Kishu as a reward after the Battle of Sekigahara, my family settled in the “Iri no” region of Geishu at the same time. The family surname at that time was “Hara”. According to family tradition records, they had been “serving as retainers in Kishu” but “due to certain circumstances” settled here as local landowners rooted in the land.
Immediately thereafter, they served as village headmen (shoya) in Irino Village. This progression from samurai retainers to village headmen in the settlement suggests the settlement itself involved strong ties and collaboration with the local power structure. After three generations, the ancestor who was the “9th generation progenitor” assumed the crucial role of “Sokumiyaku” within the local governance structure of the Geishu Domain. This position involved uniting and overseeing the village headmen of the surrounding areas. They were a privileged class permitted to bear a surname and wear swords.
The total kokudaka (land yield) of the managed territory at that time was 9,615 koku. In a society where 10,000 koku defined a “daimyo,” this represented a significant scale of regional governance. In a samurai-dominated society, managing and executing economic and agricultural production was a core social function.
Within this “managed territory” lay the salt ponds and salt fields of what is now Takehara City (then Yoshina Village and Kitanimura).
It became clear that the “inlet-style salt fields”—a cutting-edge technique introduced in 1650 by the Akō Domain of Hyōgo Prefecture—were adopted at these salt ponds. From there, the merchant house “Takeharaya” was established in the trading port of Onomichi, and Takehara salt gradually became a kind of brand. In Shinshu, there is a tradition that when salt arrived via the Kitamae trade, people rejoiced, saying, “Takehara has come!”
…Somehow, strong associations with “Matsunaga Salt,” which I had been researching deeply until recently, come to mind.
　In Matsunaga, the regional power, Fukuyama Domain, recruited a salt field technocrat (Honjo Shigemasa) for development. Due to certain circumstances, my family lineage has records of “salt beach construction” there. Matsunaga likely used this earlier successful example of Takahara’s salt field management as a model. My family lineage, carrying that economic and cultural heritage, moved to Matsunaga and Imazu. The probability of this is very high.
　The map above is modern but follows the Edo-period route. From the settlement at Irino to Takehara is 17km. From there, looking out over the Matsunaga salt fields, it’s about 40km to “Imazu-juku,” where traces of the family lineage are particularly strong.
Distant-wise, it’s also highly plausible as a range for transmitting economic activity information.
　The “missing link” from the early 1600s to around 1730, when abundant evidence of the family’s subsequent activities remains, now appears highly coherent. I wish to delve deeper.

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha
Available on Amazon.
　

Posted on 1月 5th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　昨日は早朝、告知通りに体長42cmの大ぶりのタイと格闘して、その骨の硬さ・太さに驚かされながら、ヘタなりになんとか捌ききりました。さばく前の神聖なタイの目元が「おい、受けてやるから、全力で向かってこいよ」みたいな表情を伝えてくれていた。忘我のいっとき。
　ほっとひと息後、体調を整えるのに、ということで「朝方散歩」に向かっておりました。
　冬でも、降雪時以外であれば、それなりに周辺の自然はやさしい表情を見せてくれる。
　太陽光のその季節なりの輝き具合、空の表情、雲の動態。それを反映させた山並みからの「反映」。やはり山並みや空の表情は、さまざまなメッセージを「美しく」伝えてくれますね。言語以前の人類から連綿として、こういう映像と空気感の記憶は脳味噌に叩き込まれているのでしょう。
　そういう渾然一体の視認空間を巡り歩くのは、人間としての根っこのようなものを体験させられ続けるのだろうと思います。
　そのときに来（きた）してくる周辺の自然環境への親和感。
　自分が日常を過ごさせていただいている景色。世界中の中で「たまたま」遭遇して長い時間をそこで「生かされてきている」環境だと思える。だんだん深まる愛着。
　そして一定時間、散歩したあと、わが家に帰ってきて安堵感を得られる。
　ごく単純なことがらだけれど、繰り返してくることで深い愛着が育っていくものなのでしょう。
　自然環境と住宅。そういう両方から人間はその「底力」のようなものを得ている。

　・・・ということで、散歩帰還後〜家にいる時間のきのう１日「歩数計」を確認したら、ごらんのような10,000歩越え。元日も8,058歩ということでしたので、まずは目標クリアの日々で新年正月を経てきております。ことしも、高齢化や認知などへのささやかな自己防衛と考えて、この基本習慣を、額にスジを立てるようにではなく、ごく自然に守り続けていきたいと祈念。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
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English version⬇

This year too, embracing nature through daily habits—walking, enjoying the journey.
Though clumsy, I carved a big snapper. Everyone who ate it said, “It was delicious.” A sigh of relief.
Taking walks around the neighborhood to keep my health in check.
Deepening my affection for home and nature…

　Yesterday at dawn, as announced, I wrestled with a large sea bream measuring 42cm in length. Astonished by the hardness and thickness of its bones, I somehow managed to fillet it, clumsy as I was. Before filleting, the sacred eyes of the sea bream seemed to convey an expression like, “Hey, I’ll take you on, so come at me with everything you’ve got.” A moment of complete absorption.
　After catching my breath, I headed out for a “morning walk” to get my body moving.
Even in winter, as long as it’s not snowing, the surrounding nature shows a reasonably gentle face.
The seasonal brilliance of sunlight, the sky’s mood, the movement of clouds. The “reflection” off the mountain ridges mirroring all this. Indeed, the mountain ranges and the sky’s expressions convey various messages “beautifully.” Such memories of these images and atmospheres must be ingrained in our brains, passed down continuously from humanity before language.
Walking through such a seamless visual space likely keeps us experiencing something fundamental to being human.
The affinity for the surrounding natural environment that comes at that moment.
　The scenery where I am allowed to spend my daily life. It feels like an environment I “just happened” to encounter in the world and have been “allowed to live” in for a long time. A gradually deepening attachment.
Then, after walking for a certain time, returning home and feeling a sense of relief.
It’s a very simple thing, but it’s probably something that cultivates deep affection through repetition.
The natural environment and the home. Humans gain something like their “inner strength” from both of these.

　So, after returning from my walk yesterday—checking my pedometer for the time spent at home—it showed over 10,000 steps, as you can see. New Year’s Day also recorded 8,058 steps, so I’ve been clearing my daily goal through the New Year holidays. This year too, I hope to continue this basic habit—not as a strict rule but very naturally—as a small form of self-defense against aging and cognitive decline.

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha
Available on Amazon.
　

Posted on 1月 3rd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　2026年 あけましておめでとうございます。
　昨日も書きましたが、20年を超えて淡々と書いてきた「毎日更新」のこのブログ。今年は21年目に入ります。ブログは平明なメディア手段で個人の情報発信手段として利用できるし、日々書き続けることで特定テーマの深掘り記録も可能。
　わたしはいまはほぼ自由人として個人的に大切に利用してきています。
　人間は結局なにか表現する、テーマを追究することが生きる本質に迫れるのでしょう。
　ということですが現在でもある要件から月イチで東京や関西圏に移動して行動中。北海道人は100年程さかのぼれば日本各地からの移民。わたしの家系も祖父の代に移住。なので関西圏に移動するときには、少し足を伸ばして家系の「故地」広島県や兵庫県を探訪してきている次第。
　近親のみんながそれぞれ強い興味を持ってこれら故地に関わってきている。父の兄・伯父の一統は広島県福山市の縁の深い寺に墓域も再び確保し「帰郷」も果たしている。
　写真は北海道の中央部・空知地域の平野部やや高台から「ピンネシリ」を主峰とする増毛山地を見た眺め。この増毛山地のさらに北方には祖父が夢見て無惨に失敗した山林業の地、天塩川流域が広がっている。そして父に嫁いだ母にとってはここは生まれた地であり、この山並みは幼少期から見つめ続けてきた山塊。さらにわたし自身も小学校低学年の時に「俳句」を作らされたとき「・・・遠い連山」と書いた記憶がある。上下の文はすっかり忘れたけれど（笑）。俳句って、自然の風景に心象を重ねる短文文学だと先生から教わって、そのとき即座に浮かんでいたのがこの山並み。母が父と夫婦ケンカして頻繁に里帰りをしたとき連れられて行ったけれど、そこで見慣れていたのがこの風景だった。
　はるか南の故地と、そして祖父・父母の響きが木霊してくる山並み。
　そんな経緯からいまタイトルのような探訪を始めてきている。毎日書き続けるブログという手段が、同時に「掘り起こし」探索の動機とも相性が良い。もちろん並行して「まとめ」もしたいと考えてはいますが・・・。市場性と表現形式は今のところまったく不明。
　今年も淡々と続けていきます。みなさまのご意見がなにより最大の財産。なにとぞよろしく、伏してお願い申し上げます。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇　

【Four Hundred Years of Life’s Resume / The Journey of Discovery】
This year, I wish to continue my “explorations” under this title with quiet determination. How did bloodlines endure through each era? Days spent unearthing memories. …

　Happy New Year 2026.
As I wrote yesterday, this blog has been updated daily without fail for over 20 years. This year marks its 21st year. Blogs are straightforward media tools that individuals can use to share information, and writing daily allows for deep exploration and documentation of specific themes.
I now use it personally and cherish it as a free individual.
Ultimately, humans express themselves and pursue themes to get closer to the essence of life.
　That said, current circumstances require me to travel monthly to Tokyo or the Kansai region for work. Hokkaido residents trace their roots back about 100 years to immigrants from various parts of Japan. My family migrated during my grandfather’s generation. So, when traveling to the Kansai region, I’ve been extending my trips to visit my family’s ancestral lands in Hiroshima and Hyogo Prefectures.
All my close relatives have developed a strong personal connection to these ancestral places. My father’s elder brother and his family secured a burial plot at a temple with deep ties in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, effectively achieving a “homecoming.”
The photo shows the view of the Mashike Mountains, with Mount Pinneshiri as its main peak, from a slightly elevated spot in the plains of the Sorachi region in central Hokkaido. Further north of these Mashike Mountains lies the Teshio River basin – the very land where my grandfather dreamed of establishing a forestry business, only to suffer a bitter failure. For my mother, who married into my father’s family, this is her birthplace, and these mountain ranges are the massif she gazed upon throughout her childhood. Furthermore, I myself remember writing “…distant mountain ranges” when forced to compose a haiku in the lower grades of elementary school. I’ve completely forgotten the rest of the verse (laugh). My teacher taught us that haiku is a form of short poetry where one overlays one’s inner feelings onto natural scenery, and this mountain range immediately came to mind. When my mother frequently returned to her hometown after quarrels with my father, she took me along, and this was the landscape I grew accustomed to seeing there.
The distant southern homeland, and the mountain range where the echoes of my grandfather and parents still resonate.
It is from these circumstances that I have now begun the exploration suggested by the title. The medium of a daily blog, which I continue to write, also aligns well with the motivation for this “unearthing” and exploration. Of course, I also intend to work on a “summary” in parallel… Marketability and form of expression remain entirely unknown at this point.
I’ll continue steadily this year as well. Your opinions are my greatest treasure above all else. I humbly ask for your continued support.

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 1月 1st, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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